SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to explore a strategic partnership between SKUAST Jammu and the International Food Policy Research Institute aimed at promoting evidence-based policymaking and sustainable agricultural development in the Union Territory.
The Lieutenant Governor welcomed the proposed collaboration, emphasizing that IFPRI’s global expertise would help strengthen institutional capacity in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the meeting, discussions focused on setting up a Centre of Excellence for Food Policy and Data Analytics at SKUAST-Jammu in partnership with IFPRI. The proposed centre is intended to function as a knowledge hub for continuous monitoring, policy evaluation, and data-driven decision-making. It is also expected to contribute to national and global discussions on agricultural transformation, particularly in mountain and high-value production systems.
Experts from IFPRI, including Shahidur Rashid and Anjani Kumar, shared insights on the institutional and technical support required to revive agriculture and rural economies in the region. Anjani Kumar also delivered a detailed presentation on institutional and technical strategies for strengthening agriculture and rural livelihoods in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting further highlighted the need for convergence among major initiatives such as HADP, JKCIP, and Mission YUVA, with a focus on increasing farmer incomes, creating employment opportunities, strengthening value chains, and ensuring inclusive growth for small farmers, women, and youth.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Atal Dulloo, Ashish Chandra Verma, Shailendra Kumar, Mandeep K Bhandari, and BN Tripathi, along with faculty members and other senior officials.
